The Heritage Lottery Fund has given the theatre, a terrific public endorsement and recognition of the value of their project by awarding it a first round pass and a development grant of £60,000 to further progress their HLF application.

The HLF first-round pass* means that the New Theatre Royal (NTR) can now progress to the second stage of the HLF application process, to submit more detailed plans and apply for the  grant of just under £1 million of HLF support that they are seeking as part of their £4 million project.

Further success in the HLF application process would ensure the theatre are well on target to achieve their fundraising aims and realise their dreams of restoring the NTR to its original Victorian glory, with all the parts in place to make it the vibrant, financially viable hub of Portsmouth’s creative heart.

Director of the NTR, Caroline Sharman, declared: “We are thrilled with this award it’s wonderful news for the theatre but great for the whole city as it recognises the value of such an important heritage building and the benefits the project will have for the whole community.”

Stuart McLeod, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the South East, said: “We look forward to hearing from the New Theatre Royal on their detailed proposals for restoring this wonderful historic building, one of Portsmouth’s greatest cultural and architectural assets, and developing its use for the benefit of the local community and beyond in understanding our fascinating theatrical heritage.”

The University of Portsmouth, who are joint partners in the bid to transform also welcomed the news. John Craven Vice Chancellor of the University, reported: “This is a real boost for the project and will allow us to keep the momentum up and the programme moving forward.”

Notes to editors

*A first-round pass means the project meets our criteria for funding and we believe it has potential to deliver high-quality benefits and value for Lottery money. The application was in competition with other supportable projects, so a first-round pass is an endorsement of outline proposals. Having been awarded a first-round pass, the project now has up to two years to submit fully developed proposals to compete for a firm award.’

On occasion an applicant with a first-round pass will also be awarded development funding towards the development of their scheme.

Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported 33,900 projects, allocating £4.4billion across the UK, including £428million to the South East alone.